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Breaking News! Is It Just Dumb Luck – Or Are We Just Dumb?

Breaking News! Is It Just Dumb Luck – Or Are We Just Dumb?

You’ve heard the saying, life is like a roller coaster. There are ups and downs and twists and turns. Some days you’re having the time of your life and other days you want to throw up. Well, scientists have discovered “exciting” news about luck by pinpointing when a fundamental shift has occurred and if that shift is likely to keep going.

“I find this very exciting,” said a member of gambler’s anonymous, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “It’s all about knowing when to walk away. Finally! Concrete proof I can win.”

In the study, participants were asked to recognize positive or negative trends in their recent performance. They were asked to predict how many of the next 10 events would have to be good or bad for them to keep going or quit. Turns out, people need more good events to feel confident their “luck” has changed, but less negative events to understand things weren’t going their way.

“Honestly, when I play craps, it’s easier to predict other people’s good luck than my own. Not until I’ve had my seventh 7 & 7 do I trust my own instincts.”

So why are people willing to believe negative trends are lasting and positive ones are not? Simply put, positive improvements require effort, while negative trends generally do not. However, on a “positive” note, research showed that once people start to see an uptick in positivity, a momentum to keep it going followed.

“It’s kind of like my philosophy looking for a job – which my wife keeps nagging me to do. I’ve sent out my resume to a couple of companies and when the reply, I’ll get off the couch and actually leave the house. It costs money to look for a job. And the money I’m saving goes to my bookie.”